8 Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts (8) + Poll

[birdienl]

Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts is a weekly blogging event hosted by Bookishly Boisterous. It allows book bloggers (and non-book bloggers) to write about pretty much anything, bookish or otherwise (i.e. sharing exciting plans for the weekend, rants on things they've encountered during the week etc.)

1. High summer has started and it's quiet in a lot of places. Many housemates of mine have left for their holidays and at work many colleagues are also away. Only my workroom is still full, with 5 of us toiling away on our articles. Let me tell you, editing is not fun. It's staring at my screen for half an hour thinking: there is a better way to formulate this sentence, but how?? Luckily, next week I also have a week off (Hello, Belgium!) and another week in September to look forward to (Hello, England!)

2. A few weeks ago, I read an article about making elderflower drinks. Suddenly, I started seeing the elder trees everywhere on my daily commute, so I decided to give making elderflower lemonade a try myself. I made three batches and I think each one was a little better than the previous. Especially the right amount of sugar and lemon is important for the taste. Do any of you have experience with making elderflower lemonade or maybe lemonade from other natural ingredients?

3. I had been searching for new summer skirts for a while, but I could never find any in the shops. Many skirts are just to short for my liking, I'm rather long (1.84 m) and skirts that would fall slightly above most people's knees fall halfway my thighs and I don't feel pleasant wearing them. So, I resorted to online shopping, which I hardly ever do for clothes. But, it was a succes this time! I found two really nice skirts, they fitted me perfectly when they arrived and I've been wearing them with pleasure!

4. Here's another picture of me in my Medieval costume with my some of my sword-fighting groups. Some weeks ago we visited a so-called 'Medieval Spectacle'. Despite the rain for most of the day, we had a lot of fun. We all bought some new accessories for our costume (I bought a nice mantle, very handy for these rainy festival days! And a forged working knife, which you can see on my belt) and there was jousting at the festival (so cool!)



5. I bought this lovely version of Little Dorrit with original illustrations at our yearly church's market. Isn't it pretty?



6. I'm not very big on watching documentaries, but last week my mother pointed out a very good one to me. How to go to heaven with the Hutterites is a 2013 BBC documentary about an ethno-religious group called the Hutterites who live communaly in colonies. I like learning about religious groups who live sheltered from the world and I especially like it when documentaries are made respectfully and this BBC documentary is that. You can watch the documentary here on YouTube if you're interested.

7. I started watching Outlander. I'm quite late to the party I know, but oh dear, it's so good! And so addictive, I want to watch ALL THE EPISODES NOW!

8. In September I would like to host another Watch-Along, like I did last year with Middlemarch. I'll let you help me choose what we're going to watch. I've got three ideas myself, but don't hestitate to add some other period miniseries you think will be nice to watch!

[Poll #2017138][Poll #2017138]

Not a lot of bookish thoughts in this one I'm afraid... I am reading though and some book reviews are coming. I hope you're all enjoying your summer and holidays!

Comments

[touchofgr3y.livejournal.com]

Elderflower lemonade sounds wonderful! :)

[msantimacassar.livejournal.com]

I can't believe we are so far into summer already! Soon it will be back to school and everything. >_< Editing, ugh! Best of luck with that! <3 Ooh, those vacations sound awesome!

Mmm, that lemonade sounds yummy! The perfect drink for these hot days...

Oh wow, you are much taller than I thought! You would be the elf to my hobbit sized self, I think, haha.

That event sounds like so much fun! And you are gathering up a great wardrobe I see. :)

Oh my goodness, that edition of Little Dorrit is EXQUISITE! I'm drooling!

I'm afraid I gave up on Outlander. Too much sex and violence for me! Hope you enjoy it though.

I voted for Far From the Madding Crowd since I haven't seen it but I would do any of these except for Jane Eyre which is my least favorite adaption.

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

I'm rather tall, even for us tall Dutch people. As a teenager I really hated sticking out above everyone, but now I don't mind so much anymore. Only finding fitting pants is quite a challenge.

I can understand about Outlander, it does indeed have quite some content. For me it ways against the good things though, so far.

It's kind of addictive, these medieval festivals. There are all these stalls with great gear.... I still would like some medieval style shoes, but then I'm all set I think.

[mattiescottage.livejournal.com]

I think I have only once read about elderflower lemonade--have never made it. I think I have also read of dipping elderflower clusters in batter and frying them. We prefer to let them develop into berries for juice, and then mixing the juice with lemonade (or other juices). Grandma used to make elderberry jelly, because her husband loved jellies and jams, and the elderberries grew in abundance along the creeks and roadsides.

I find that in most parts of the U. S. nowadays elderberries are little known by people who don't have some connection to old-timey ways, natural health, or natural living.

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

Yes, I also heard from multiple people about the idea of elderflowers in batter. Maybe next year (all the trees have finished blossoming now). This autumn I will definitely gather elderberries and try some recipes with those.

[richyl88.livejournal.com]

Those skirts are so cute :)

That looks like lots of fun!

We have lots of Hutterites out here,I'll have to watch the documentary when I have a chance.

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

Do you ever interact with Hutterites or maybe Amish or Mennonites? If you do watch the documentary, let me know if you think it an accurate portrayal. I always wonder if any documentary can do justice to these religious groups.

[richyl88.livejournal.com]

I see them out and about and they usually keep to theirselves. My Uncle once had to go out to their community and he had to call. They only have one phone so he called and then the person who picked up had to go find the head leader and my Uncle was on hold for 20 minutes lol.

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

Haha, oh dear!

[elysium-22.livejournal.com]

I have seen elderflower lemonade at lots of my favourite places to shop and funnily enough have never tried it. That edition of Little Dorrit is lovely. I love finding Vintage or Antique editions of my favourite Classics.

[elysium-22.livejournal.com]

Oh and I might suggest BBC's Poldark (2015) starring Aidan Turner but only this series/version of it-Series 1 of the 2015 adaptation. Production for series 2 is set to begin. Do not read the books as I've heard (tell in spoilers) that the books are very dark. I hope in Series 2, they divert from the book quite a bit for a retelling. I'm quite scared for the certain themes expected as per the actors' own words in Series 2, but BBC's Poldark Series 1 was intriguing and very well done-emotionally-the script, music, and cinematography is breathtaking!

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

I first got a bottle of elderflower syrup as a house-warming present, so I 'got to know' it. It's really worth a try!

Yes, Poldark is definitely on my list of shows to watch. I'm just 'working' through some other things I also want to see at the moment. (Makes it sound like chore, which it defintely is not, I just wish I had more time!)